Gold Plates

Today, I took place in branch conference, which was an interesting experience. I believe it was the stake president that came to speak to us, as well as other gentleman from the Stake High Council. I met with them this morning when they had a meeting for new members, and they were wonderful to talk to. I got to share my conversion story, and the stake president mentioned me later during his talk. I'm unusually active and verbose in my appreciation of the gospel, so that's not the first time I've ever been mentioned in a talk.

The highlight of the day came when I got to sustain the Prophet! That was truly an experience! By raising my right hand, I sustained the wise and wonderful Gordon B. Hinckley to be the leader of our countless members unto righteousness. I have the utmost respect for President Hinckley. He's in his 90's and he's as active as he ever was in his youth, travelling around the world to help perfect the saints. We are blessed for his leadership, and I'm proud to have raised my hand to sustain him and the other general authorities.

My last thought that I will share before I work on my US History homework is a thought that occurred to me multiple times today. As each speaker stood at the podium today, scriptures in hand, I noticed that the pages on all of them were lined in gold. I pondered that, and wondered how the world would view us if we still had the original gold plates. I truly don't think we would be any better off, such is the world and its capacity to be faithless. And then the spirit made me realize, we DO have the plates. That's what my scriptures are...

And as I left my boyfriend's house today, I hugged them to me a little tighter. My scriptures are bound in emerald green leather, and are my most prized possession. They give to me the same spiritual witness that was given to Joseph Smith, and I am blessed to live in this new dispensation with them available to me.